愛の旅 - Ai No Tabi -Love's Journey
by danim88
Summary: A love story set in the 1920s, Hinata runs away to escape a betrothal and recover from the tragedy of her lover's death. SasuHina, NejiHina, GaaHina
1. Prologue - 秋の涙 AKi no Namida

_This work is for Lynette, may stories like this one continue to inspire you with your own journey._

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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, It is the creation of Masashi Kishimoto.

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**秋の涙 - AKi No Namida**

_** Kyoto, October 1922**_

A series of gay laughter filled the air as streams of students in their royal blue yabane-patterned Hakamas from the**_ Joshi Gakuen_** came out from their afternoon class. A young woman with long dark hair and pale-lavender eyes was among them, she came out clutching a few books and envelopes handed to her that morning by the head mistress of her residence on her way to the institute. The postal mark of its origins indicated it had come from Paris where her male relative was undertaking further military training for the **_Teikoku Rikugun_** while the other envelope was marked from Osaka.

She walked leisurely in the narrow road flanked by gingko and maple trees with flaming hues of yellow and red as she neatly tore open the mail from abroad, she was immediately beset by a strong flowery fragrance and found a tiny cluster of dried lavender as she unfolded the letter and read the poem intricately written on it

夢ぢには

あしもやすめず

かよへども

うつつにひとめ

見しごとはあらず

**"ん"**

_Though I go to you _

_ceaselessly along dream paths, _

_the sum of those trysts _

_is less than a single glimpse _

_granted in the waking world._

**_"N"_**

A smile played in her lips as her eyes darted on the signed initial; she gently brushed the flower against her nose to inhale its sweet scent while an image of him smelling the same flower came to her mind. A warm flush crept in her face as she took notice of her surroundings; she had entered the**_ hanamachi_** area and was now by the wooden bridge leading to a temple.

Memories flooded her mind as she recalled their time together in their hometown of Hyūga, how their relationship had steadily grown over the years and that nameless feelings though fully understood between them remained subdued until the day before his departure for Tokyo, when he brought her to Hyuga-misaki thinking that it was simply a last attempt for him to enjoy the majestic view of the ocean from the cliffs but had turned out to be much more for him as he recited Mibu No Tadami

恋すてふ

我が名はまだき

立ちにけり

人しれずこそ

思ひそめしか

_It is true I love,_  
_But the rumor of my love_  
_Had gone far and wide,_  
_When people should not have known_  
_That I had begun to love._

A confession that ended with him reaching out to her with his hand, the ocean breeze gently wafting through their tresses and robes as they fell into an embrace finally affirming that unnamed affection they kept inside their hearts.

It was not long after when she had gone to Kyoto for her studies and they would see each other during the winter, a routine that would be broken for the first time since he went abroad. She felt a tinge of sadness at being reminded that it was already autumn and his coming absence will be painfully evident.

A deep sigh escaped her as she quietly continued over the bridge, she remembered the other missive and surmised it was from her father and saw the words "Urgent" stamped in red at one side, something she failed to notice since there was no mention from the headmistress when it was given to her. She hastily went through it and suddenly felt everything seemed to rapidly spin around her, she steadied herself by the bridge railing, while her vision blurred from the tears welling in her eyes, and remembered the words she never imagined would befittingly describe her one day as she slowly descended into the dark unconsciousness that engulfed her

秋山の

黄葉を茂み

惑ひぬる

妹を求めむ

山道知らずも

_The mountains in autumn_

_there are so much fallen leaves,_

_-looking for my lost lover_

_I cannot find the path._

A monk passing by had witnessed her fall and immediately ran and carried her to the nearby temple, while the letter she grasped softly slipped from her fingers and was swept by the wind, inside was a message that would forever haunt her

_** "Take the next train to Osaka, Neji has passed away"**_

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_"Who travels for love finds a thousand miles not longer than one"_

_惚れて通えば千里も一里_

_**-Japanese Proverb-**_

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**Footnotes:**

**Aki No Namida** - literally "Autumn's Tears is the name of the prologue

**Yabane-Pattern Hakama** - originally yabane was popular as a motif on men's clothing due to its close association with kyudo, Japanese archery, but has always been popular with women as well. During the Edo era small scale kasuri yabane was popular as servants' livery. By the Meiji era it had become highly associated with the_ "Meiji schoolgirl"_ look- a yabane komon worn under hakama with a modern hairstyle held back with a ribbon. (Source: Immortal Geisha)

**Joshi Gakuen** – "Women's Education Institution" and originally inspired by "Kyoto Joshi Gakuen" founded in 1920.

**Teikoku Rikugun** – "Imperial Army" which is derived from the "Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun" meaning "Great Army of the Japanese Empire", the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan, from 1871 to 1945.

**Hanamachi** – literally means "Flower streets" which are the Japanese Geisha districts typically found in Kyoto which is termed as "Kagai" instead of Hanamachi.

**Hyūga** – a place in Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyuushu region. It had undergone several demarcations over the years as different feudal lords took over these areas. Please see Miyazaki prefecture history for further reading.

**Ono No Komachi** – early Heian period waka poetess who wrote the first poem in this fiction. The poem appears in Kokin Wakashu as No.658 .

**Mibu No Tadami** – middle Heian period waka poet and nobleman who wrote the second poem in this fiction. The poem is from Hyakunin Isshu poem anthology of the same period.

**The last poem - No.208** (anonymous author) is taken from the Manyoushuu ("ten thousand leaves") was the earliest anthology of Japanese poetry, dated back ca. 759 with the text originally referring to "wife/lover" but was used by Hinata in her own point of view in expressing the demise of Neji during that autumn time.

**Taishō Era** – reference for Japanese History during the 1900-1920s period.


	2. Memorial - 追悼 Tsuitou

**_追悼 - Tsuitou_**

**_Osaka, Oct. 1922 _**

Reverberating sounds echoed in the bustling station as the train slowly came to a halt. She fidgets in her seat as she looked outside from the window; her eyes linger along the platform in search of a familiar face and found him among the milling crowd. He was there waiting for her, smiling and looking back with eyes like her own.

She ran towards the exit as she kept sight of him through the trail of windows between them, nothing else mattered to her─ not anyone, not anything but that very moment─ everything, even time itself seemingly became still when she finally stood before him.

"Nii-san…" Hinata said softly as tears formed in both their pale-lavender eyes, while their hands reached out for each other─ closer and closer, their fingertips almost touching until the abrupt screeching cries of the train's whistle cruelly awoken her from a dream.

旅に病で

夢は枯野を

かけ廻る

_Sick on a journey,_

_my dreams wander_

_the withered fields._

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The streaming sunlight blinded her momentarily as Hinata stirred back to consciousness and felt the frantic beat of her own heart in rhythm with the vibrations of the train moving along its tracks. She slowly tried to make sense of her surroundings and saw a glimpse of her own doleful image in a black kimono reflected in the windowpanes, a sharp contrast with the fiery colors of the autumn scenery that passed by.

She instinctively grasped for the dried lavender in her pocket and stroked it against her cheeks leaving traces of its scent on her skin, she closed her eyes and heard Neji's voice in her mind resonating from a precious memory not so long ago

"Please come back home safely and…" she was silenced by his finger that touched her lips

"Will you have me when I come back Hinata-sama?" Neji asked

"Yes….of course" she answered with no hesitation

He moved slowly towards her and their lips found each other. "I love you" he whispered after they parted, he leaned his forehead against her temple and held her face tenderly with both hands

"I promise I'll be back and we'll be together" he said before his lips touched hers again.

Hinata wanders back to the present once more, a single teardrop escapes from her eyes.

"Some promises are not meant to be kept" she thought painfully as the city loomed ahead, she was reaching their destination and she fervently hoped the trip would never end for it meant facing the reality that she still can't grasp and perhaps─ never will.

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**_Konohana District, Osaka Oct 1922_**

An auburn-haired young man dressed in formal military uniform with a sheathed _guntō _quietly bowed as he handed a _silk envelope_ to a household member who received it with a polite gesture, and was ushered into the hall where the immediate family had gathered for the wake_._

Everything in the Hyūga residence manifested of death veiling it with a dark and sombre atmosphere so palpable it rouses awareness to one's very own transience. A deafening silence reigned in the room occasionally broken by the stifled cries from the women and _shinshoku's_ low chants. The immediate family were seated _seiza style_ at the left side near the delicately crafted wooden_ kamidana_ elevated in a pedestal that bore Neji's portrait in the center surrounded with floras, a bowl of water and fresh persimmons.

The newcomer removes his hat upon entering and reveals a red kanji tattoo on his forehead, he walks towards the family and caught sight of a melancholic beautiful woman fingering a_ juzu_ in her hands, feigning composure yet her eyes failed to hide the suffering inside her.

He bowed before the family and finally before the shrine in front of him. He proceeded to offer some incense and a short prayer and upon finishing, bowed again to the family and gave a meaningful glance at the Hyūga clan head who nodded at him in response. He turned and went towards an adjoining hall separated by a thin shouji door where only family and men entered.

In the middle of the room was a wooden casket where Neji lay in repose, clothed in pure white kimono, his hands resting below his chest while clasping a_ juzu_ entwined with a piece of dried lavender.

The clan leader had followed and greeted him "Gaara-san, thank you for coming"

Gaara replied with a low bow and formally presented him the _guntō_ "It's my honour Hiashi-sama and I wish to present you with a memento of Neji-san" the clan leader received the sword with both hands and proceeded to bow before the casket while the young _Gochō_ did the same as the blade was placed alongside Neji.

"And I'm also honoured to give you these" he handed Hiashi two small envelopes, one had the Imperial army stamp while the other had the words "_Shousho Yuigon_" written on it which the Hyūga clan leader opened right away.

Hiashi's usually stoic semblance was temporarily lost as he read the will, shifting from curiosity and sorrow to visible surprise. He folded and tucked the document inside his kimono and proceeded to read the letter from the army who conveyed their sympathy for Neji's demise and recognition of his promotion to _Gochō Kimmu jōtōhei _which was not formally conferred due to his untimely passing.

"My sincerest condolences again Hyūga-sama"

The clan leader sighed, briefly pausing before addressing him "Our family appreciates all your efforts but pardon me, I must leave you for a while" the clan head left and Gaara slowly approached the forlorn casket of his fallen comrade.

落日故人情

揮手自茲去

蕭蕭班馬鳴

_The sun is setting_

_and I think of my old friend_

_Waving hands_

_as now you go_

_Desolate, dejected—_

_your team of horses cries._

**"Farewell Neji Hyūga"**

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_Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides_

**_-Lao Tsu-_**

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**Footnotes:**

**_First poem in this chapter_** – written by the famous Edo period poet Matsuo Basho. The poem is generally accepted as his farewell poem before he died of illness in Osaka.

_**Konohana District**_ – one of the 24 wards of Osaka. This area is known to be a thriving port area due its proximity to the mouth of Denpo River. This area was chosen out of the 24 wards due to the similarity of its name to "Konoha", an attempt to give readers a sense of familiarity and connection between real places and that of Naruto's world .

_**Guntō**_ – military sword used by the Japanese Imperial army and navy after the end of the samurai era. As the setting of this story occurs in 1922, the type of sword the Imperial army used is categorized specifically under Kyū guntō (used until 1934) which closely resembled western swords during that period.

**_Silk envelop_** – this refers to the Shinto practice called "Koden" when mourners give money to the immediate family to help with the funeral expenses. A paper envelope containing money and written with the giver's name is usually wrapped in silk cloth, since the Hyūga is a wealthy clan, this act was done more for keeping up with tradition than actual financial help.

_**Seiza**_ – one of the traditional formal way of sitting in Japan

_**Shinshoku**_ – Shinto priest

**_Kami-dana_ **- household altars provided to enshrine a Shinto kami. (Please refer to Shinto religion for further reading)

_**Juzu**_ – prayer beads similar to a rosary or japa.

**_Gochō_** – Japanese Imperial army rank equivalent to a Corporal

**_Gochō Kimmu jōtōhei_** – Japanese Imperial army rank equivalent to Junior Corporal (Senior Soldier acting as a Corporal)

_**Shousho Yuigon**_ – last will and testament

**_Second Poem in this chapter_ **– excerpts taken from the poem "Seeing off a Friend" by the Chinese poet Li Bai who is also known as Li Po who lived during the Tang Dynasty.

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**_Many thanks to everyone who took the time to give their reviews. I hope I can continue to spark your interest with this fiction until its conclusion._**


	3. Goodbye - さようなら Sayonarra

**さようなら ****- Sayonarra**

**_South Manchuria, China, Sept 1922_**

The acrid odour of smoke and blood assaulted the young soldier's senses as he lay in the ground grasping for air, coughing as he choked in his own bitter blood. Bodies lay motionless nearby as he tried to focus his obscuring vision while the thundering barrage of gun fire had rendered him almost deaf. Such an unexpected twist of fate he thought to himself, he was so near home, home and returning back to his beloved–

Another fit of violent coughing came over him prompting more blood to spurt out from his lips. "Hinata-sama…Hinata-sama…Forgive me…Forgive me..Forgive me.." he called out in his dying breathe; he was now delirious from the excruciating pain and depleting air in his chest.

"Hyūga…"Gaara shouted weakly as he slowly crept towards a dying Neji, he could barely hear Neji's voice in the midst of all the chaos but caught his last words of contrition.

"Hyūga! Stay with me!" he cried desperately as he buried his face on Neji's chest and felt the last signs of his life fading away.

* * *

Gaara opened his eyes and was taken back to the quiet sitting room where he sat across the Hyūga clan leader; the young officer gathered his composure and continued with his recollections

"We were on our way to Tokyo after an early departure from Paris, but our regiment had a stopover in _Manshū,_ and was unexpectedly assigned to escort a group at the railways where the rebels attacked us.

Hiashi felt devastated as he briefly reflected on the irony of Neji's misfortune, but a greater burden weighed on him now that the clan was left heirless of its leadership.

"He sacrificed his life and saved _me_. I am indebted to your family… my life is yours" Gaara knelt down with his head touching the ground in front of the clan leader

The Hyūga observed the young officer before him, an honourable and strong man from a reputable family. It seems he had unwittingly found the solution to his dilemma.

"Perhaps there is something which you can do and it would be an honour not just for my family but for yours as well"

Gaara rose from his position to face him "It shall be done then"

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**_Mimitsu, Hyūga, Dec. 1922_**

Hinata relentlessly fulfilled the _Matsuri _on the appointed days since Neji's interment. She became a recluse during those times and carefully hid her cries of agony, which unknown to her did not remain unnoticed by the clan leader. What others perceived as natural devotion for family, he viewed warily as dedication of a beloved for her lover. The growing sense to confront had finally come upon him as he found his daughter alone in one of her silent spells of sorrow.

Hinata stared at the garden from the sitting room and sat there motionless for hours only to be disturbed by her father's presence

"We have all loved Neji so dearly and yet he had loved _only one_ so greatly" said the clan leader, his words were full of meaning as he slid a piece of paper in front of Hinata

"_Shousho Yuigon_"

A deep sigh escaped her lips as she nervously took it.

_To All Concerned:_

_I wish to impart the following requests upon my death and I hope they would be followed as I have written here_

_In life or in death, my being belongs to Hinata Hyūga._

_I request for my remains to be cremated and all my ashes given to Hinata for her to scatter at the cliffs by the sea in Hyūga._

_It is my ardent dream to build a home for Hinata in one of the lands that my father has left me and I leave her to choose which of those lands to build a home. _

_The creation of this dwelling will be paid at my expense and no cost shall be spared until she is satisfied._

_All my remaining inheritance and possessions are to be given to Hinata._

_In the event of my passing and if by chance I was unable to marry Hinata, it is my request that she dwells in the home I have built for her with her future partner._

_Signed_

_Neji Hyūga , __12 January 1922_

Teardrops fell down her cheeks as she placed the will next to her chest, all pretenses had vanished and she would not hide nor deny her love for Neji. A brief silence reigned between father and daughter, Hiashi felt admiration for the two as he witnessed before him their strong bond which seems to flourish despite the other's demise.

"You are the most precious person to him and I will make sure that his wishes will be followed" Hiashi said simply, his calm acceptance of their love was unexpected.

"But our family is weak without a successor" the clan leader's expression became grave. "Perhaps it's too soon to discuss but you must prepare for marriage to bring forth the next heir" his tone was emotionless, almost like imparting an order for her to obey.

"Oto-sama, I'm afraid…I'm not ready and I'm not sure if I ever will be"

Hiashi became visibly disappointed but shrewdly resorted to appealling to her emotions instead "Neji was selfless enough to accept your potential marriage with another because he ultimately wants your happiness and I have found someone that Neji would surely approve"

She was afraid to ask the question but found herself compelled by her father's persistence "Who is this man Oto-sama?"

And so he uttered his name, "Sabaku No Gaara"

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The soft billows of the early morning wind caressed her body as she walked towards the edge of _Hyuga-misaki._ She paused as she reached the end holding with her a small white urn.

'We're here Nii-san but I must say goodbye to you again" she uncovered the urn and scattered its contents in the wind, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

The rays of the rising sun was slowly illuminating the cliff as Hinata whispered in the wind while a lone seahawk suddenly appeared and filled the horizon with its echoing cries.

_"Farewell Neji until we meet again in another life,_

_When I shall be yours and you shall be mine──"_

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**_Kyoto, December 1922_**

_"_Do you believe in the red string of fate?" she remained impassive when Gaara had asked her this question. He had arrived in Kyoto to visit her and they now stood at a bridge in _Gion_ on a cold late afternoon, the once lovely hues of autumn were replaced with lifeless shades of grey as the city was profusely blanketed in snow.

"I don't know" she answered tonelessly

He merely smiled and turned his gaze at the frozen river below them. "Neji once told me that each person is connected to someone by a red string…I never thought that such a string would somehow entangle the three of us" Hinata was caught by surprised with his candour and how aptly his comparison fit their circumstance.

Gaara faced her directly this time and took her hand "Neji had given me much more than a second life, he also gave _meaning _to my life ─ he gave me you. This is our fate Hinata-sama"

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"No, this is not my fate" she said to herself as she walked along the quiet corridor of the women's residence. She had patiently endured all the lectures from her father for the sake of maintaining peace but when Gaara had repeated the same spiel, this "fate" that everyone else seemed to have decided for her, she simply couldn't bear it anymore.

She thought about the auburn haired officer, he was kind and considerate towards her but unfortunately love was something that couldn't be taught nor forced.

"Can people really afford to fall in love? _How many Hyūga men and women before me were bound by tradition and had placed clan duty above the pining of their hearts?" _she wondered sadly as she reached the headmistress' office, she gave a short tap on the door and was answered by a soft voice from the other side.

"Come in"

Kurenai Yuhi sat behind her desk, she had a tranquil quality about her that calms people in her presence and Hinata had found in her a teacher, a sister and a friend─ someone who knew and understood her well.

"What can I do for you Hinata?"

Hinata bowed before the headmistress and took out a letter which she handed formally with both hands.

Kurenai received it and began reading quietly; she briefly smiled to herself before facing Hinata "I wish you all the best. You will be missed when you're gone"

"Thank you" replied Hinata lifelessly, Kurenai sensed the hollowness in her tone and regarded her "Your eyes are truly like a window to your soul and I can see your sadness through them"

"I…" Hinata was lost for words but Kurenai had immediately understood, she was well aware of her situation ever since her long absence from the residence.

"Hinata, it's not my place to interfere with your life but there are only two certain things that fate decides for us, our coming and our going in this world" Kurenai started to sign the letter while Hinata reflected on her words.

"Everything will be fine. Here you go" a knowing glint was in the headmistress' eyes as she handed the document back.

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**_ Port of Osaka, January 1923_**

The_ Kibō _glided steadily through the still dark waters of the bay, the pale moonlight illuminated the horizon as her tear-stained eyes took a last glimpse of home.

_なげけとて_

_月やは物を_

_思はする_

_かこちがほなる_

_わがなみだかな_

_"Lament!" does it say?_

_Is it the moon that makes me_

_dwell on things? —No, and yet,_

_look at the tears flowing down_

_my reproachful face!_

She felt like the most selfish person in the world and prayed that she will be forgiven one day. "Sumimasen" she uttered weakly, she wasn't sure to whom her apologies were for─ her father? for Gaara? for Neji…..?

_とこのしもまくらの氷きえわびぬ_

_むすびもをかぬ人の契に_

_With frostfall upon my bed,_

_The ice upon my pillow_

_Cannot melt away-I lack the strength to die-_

_Leaving unfulfilled _

_The vow I made to you._

"There were indeed only two certain things in life, our coming and our going─ **_Sayonarra_**" she quietly bid goodbye.

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_ "Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses."_

**_-Chinese Proverb-_**

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**Footnotes:**

**_South Manchuria, China_**– upon the signing of the **_Treaty of Portsmouth_** at end of the Russo-Japanese war, Japan had taken lease some parts of Manchuria (Port Arthur and Dalian) and invested heavily in these places. The SMZ or South Manchuria Railway Zone (南満州鉄道附属地 Minami Manshū Tetsudō Fuzoku-chi) was a Japanese controlled area where stationed railway guards (regular Japanese soldiers) provided security for the trains and tracks throughout the SMZ. Please refer to Russo-Japanese war and Sino-Japanese war for further reading.

**_Manshū_**– Japanese name for Manchuria and presently known as Liáodōng Peninsula in China.

**_Mimitsu, Hyūga_** – a place in Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyuushu region. It had undergone several demarcations over the years as different feudal lords took over these areas. This is also the location of **_Hyuga-misaki_** which is a cliff by the sea. Please see Miyazaki prefecture history for further reading.

**_Matsuri_**– a Shinto religious custom where the family goes to the shrine (for cremated bodies) or grave site to light incense or hold a memorial service. This is observed on the 3rd, 7th, and 49th days and the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 13th, and 33rd years after the death.

**_Shousho Yuigon_** – last will and testament

**_Red string of fate_** – also known as "red thread of destiny" East Asian belief originating from Chinese legend and also used in Japanese legend. According to this myth, the gods tie a red cord around the ankles of those that are to meet one another in a certain situation or help each other in a certain way. Often, in Japanese culture, it is thought to be tied around the little finger. According to Chinese legend, the deity in charge of "the red thread" is believed to be Yuè Xià Lǎo (月下老, often abbreviated to "Yuèlǎo" [月老]), the old lunar matchmaker god who is also in charge of marriages. The two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of time, place, or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but never break. This myth is similar to the Western concept of soulmates or a destined flame.

**_Gion_** – a famous district in Kyoto known for its beautiful scenery and geisha houses.

_**Kibō**__ – _literally means "Hope" , the name of the ship that Hinata had embarked on at the Port of Osaka

**_Dharma Master Saigyō_** – famous Buddhist poet who composed the first poem in this fiction, Poem 86, which was translated by Professor **_Joshua S. Mostow._**

**_"Only two certain things that fate decides for us, our coming and our going in this world"- _**refers to birth and death which are the only definite occurrences in life, this excerpt from the story was based on a poem by** Kozan Ichikyo**:

_Empty-handed I entered_

_the world _

_Barefoot I leave it. _

_My coming, my going - _

_Two simple happenings _

_That got entangled._

**_Fujiwara No Teika_** – famous Japanese poet, critic, novelist and calligrapher from the late Heian and early Kamakura era who composed the second poem in this fiction entitled **"Love in Winter"**

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_**Thank you for all the reviews.**_


	4. Looking at the same Moon - 同じ月を見ている

**同じ月を見ている ****- Onaji Tsuki o Miteiru **

**_絶望_****_- Zetsubō (Despair) _**

A lone figure wanders by the _Kamo River_ as mournful melodies of a _shamisen_ resonated from a distance while a low haunting voice recounts the sorrows of _Lady Ukifune_.

He did not intend for him to die so he can live─

He did not intend to succumb to the charms of his beloved─

He did not intend to take his place ─

And yet destiny seemed to have taken a hand to set the stage, like marionettes on strings they all played their roles─

But the pale eyed lady had cut her twines because she refused to be told─

"She's gone" the words of the Hyūga clan leader kept repeating in his mind.

Gaara reflects on the sadness, confusion and yearning that simultaneously pounced on him.

He faced the moon as he searched for an answer "Where are you Hinata Hyūga?

_忘らるる__  
身をば思はず__  
誓ひてし__  
人の命の__  
惜しくもあるかな_

_My broken heart I don't lament, To destiny I bow;  
But thou hast broken solemn oaths,—  
I pray the gods may now  
Absolve thee from thy vow_

* * *

**_未解決_****_- Mi kaiketsu (Unsettled) _**

_Chaos ensued as a deafening sound shattered his senses, a sudden force had pressed him on the ground where he lay motionless and with his remaining strength, saw obscured images before finally surrendering into the dark void._

A series of explosions had awakened him to see the semi-dark enclave of his chambers once more. A faint light spilled through the window as he rose to look outside, small sparks dotted the district in the eve of the new lunar year. Eyes as dark as midnight explored the cloudless night and addressed the silvery orb that shone lustrously in the sky

_見るところ花にあらずと云ふことなし、_

_思ふところ月にあらずと云ふことなし_

_There is nothing you can see that is not a flower;_

_There is nothing you can think that is not the moon._

"Uchiha-sama it's time to go" called a deep voice which disturbed the young man's troubled thoughts.

* * *

**_希望 – _****_Kibō (Hope)_**

**_The Bund, Shanghai, China Feb. 1923_**

_"Gong Xifat Chai!"_ merry chatter among the passengers rang through the air as the Kibo floated near the quay, a breath-taking city welcomed her with a glowing luminescence that would be forever imprinted in her mind, tall modern buildings lined the harbour standing like imposing sentinels silently observing the gaiety of the night. A long green dragon held by men twisted and turned along the embankment in rhythm with the furious incessant beats of the _tanggu_ and _zhangbu,_ while luminous sparklers surrounded its serpentine body as it manoeuvred among the excited spectators.

Hinata couldn't help but smile and gaze at the moon that casted its bright radiance in the city of Shanghai

_A bright moon rising over the sea,_

_Shores apart, watching the same_

_Is someone dear to me._

_I loath this endless night;_

_And could not sleep but think of thee._

_In this full moon light,_

_Who cares for candlelight?_

_Stepping out I don my gown,_

_And feel dew on the ground._

_I wish to offer you moonlight in a handful,_

_But, to my real shame, 'tis impossible._

_Retiring to my bed, it seems,_

_I might find happier days in dreams._

She descended on the mooring and was abruptly stopped in her tracks by an old lady widely beaming with warmth and joy in her eyes

_"Huānyíng ni lai Shànghai!"_ (Welcome to Shanghai!)

* * *

_"One joy shatters a hundred grief"_

**-Chinese Proverb-**

* * *

**Author's Notes**: An important element of this chapter is the moon which is viewed at once by all three characters with different emotions and perspectives.

**Footnotes**:

_(Gaara Scene)_

**Kamo River – **a river which flows north to south of Kyoto.

**Shamisen **– a Japanese three stringed instrument. In reference to the first scene, it would have been played by a geisha since Kyoto was also well known for its many geisha houses.

**Lady Ukifune** – a traditional song called Ukifune, ("A floating boat") based on the story of the Genji family. Ukifune, a beautiful lady of Uji (near Kyoto) is loved by Captain Kaoru but was unfaithful to him. After much disillusionment, she attempts suicide, fails, and spends the rest of her life in a nunnery. The words of the song describe the sad story of Lady Ukifune

**Lady Ukon** – was a Japanese poet of the Heian period who wrote the 1st poem in this chapter. She is supposed to have been abandoned by her husband and in this poem she regrets, not so much her own sorrow, as the fact that he has broken his sworn oath, and is therefore in danger of divine vengeance.

(The poem and the song were all used in Gaara's context of being left by Hinata.)

_(Sasuke Scene)_

**Matsuo Basho** – famous Edo period poet who wrote the statement referring to the moon.

_(Hinata Scene)_

**Shanghai** - a rich historical city of China which gained considerable international attention from the 19th to the 20th century, succeeding events eventually lead to its control by different foreign countries which created a point for eastern and western influences to blend and become an important cultural and economic center in Asia. Japan which was already a major player in the region back then had extensive investment in China with many Japanese immigrating and exercising significant influence in this area during that time. Please refer to Shanghai's history for further reading.

**The Bund** – a waterfront area in central Shanghai by the Huangpu river. It played an vital role in Shanghai's economy as it became a center of numerous important financial, commercial and social institutions of foreign powers (US, Britain, France, Japan and so on) which dominated China at that time. The area is also known for its historical buildings which showcased different architectural styles from various western designs (1920s to 1930s). Please refer to "The Bund, Shanghai" for further reading.

**Gong Xifat Chai** – translates to _Happy New _Year in Mandarin Chinese which is the mainstream language of Shanghai.

**Tanggu** – a type of traditional Chinese drum shaped like a barrel.

**Zhangbu** – a medium sized traditional Chinese cymbals

**Zhang Jiu Ling** – a poet from the Tang dynasty who composed the last poem in this chapter entitled **"Thinking afar in moonlight"**

* * *

My Endless apologies for this short chapter. It's meant to be a prologue to give a sense of the new setting. I hope everyone can wait patiently for the next chapter which is coming very soon.

Thank you for all the feedback. -

**_And thanks again to Lynette -the muse of this whole story._**


	5. New life - 新しい人生 Atarashii Jinsei

**Atarashii Jinsei - ****新しい人生**

**_The Bund, Shanghai, Feb. 1923_**

Hinata walked aimlessly in the crowd, lost among the chorus of strange patois from all corners of the world. She gazed uncertainly at the long road but decided to stray further and explore the busy stretch of the Bund.

She drank in the sight of every colour and every shape, she listened to the softest sound that passed her ears, and smelled the lingering fragrance of every scent, while an eclectic scene unfolded before her: rickshaws pulled by men in _queue braids _ran along with the cars and the trams, curious old women trudged sluggishly with their tiny _lotus feet _seemingly in stilts, elegant ladies in silk _cheongsams_ swayed their way into the crowds and elicited approving glances from haughty men who strutted in their fine suits, or for some, their new _changshans_.

The drifting sound of music caught her attention and prompted her to follow its trail, leading her to the _Public Garden_ where more people have gathered to watch a performance by a _Jiangnan sizhu. _The collective harmony of the instruments captured her heart, she listened mesmerized by the beauty of each note, the lead _pipa and xiao_ were in perfect accord as it played "_Spring Blossoms on a Moonlit River - 春江花月夜_"

Lonely thoughts came to her as she closed her eyes to drown her deep seethed sorrows in the melodies of the night.

_さまざ吏書こ」思丶ふ,L丶;士ぁる尋ゝを_

_ミしひプ二ずらヱこぬるゝネ由カ丶な_

_Varied are the feelings in my heart_

_But Completely Soaking are my sleeves_

* * *

Sasuke had ventured outside upon the invitation of the corps to join the evening's merriment, but felt ill at ease because of the recurring dream that haunted him almost every night. He strolled along with his companions and regarded the scene with indifference, up until he caught a fleeting glimpse of a woman clad in an all-black kimono.

"Those eyes" he whispered to himself as an unconscious memory was awoken in his mind.

"Uchiha-sama, perhaps you'd care for a nightcap?" asked one of his companions, distracting Sasuke briefly. He turned again to look at the woman but had lost sight of her. A strong unsettling sensation came over him, he hastily left his companions to search for her, only to be lost in midst of the thick mass.

"Those eyes…" he whispered once more.

* * *

Boisterous laughter echoed from a group gathered in a derelict alley, dark and rough faces shined from the lone light bulb that hung above their heads, their manners showed roughness as they exchanged banter with one another. A burly man wearing a white fedora hat shuffled small ivory tiles in a small makeshift table while swigging some rice wine; he wiped his mouth with his sleeves before bursting into another howl that sprayed trickles of spit everywhere.

Hinata had unintentionally strayed into the dimly-lit neighbourhood, she nervously clutched her small sack of meagre possessions upon seeing the men playing _mah-jong_, she tried to turn back but was already noticed by them.

"_hai mei nv_! Where are you going?!"

Hinata increased the pace of her steps but more men came and blocked her path. The burly man had stood up and walked towards her in an exaggerated gait of a drunk.

"Why don't you join us mei nv?" the pervasive odour of alcohol emanated from his breathe as he leaned close to Hinata's face.

He regarded Hinata's appearance as he touched the hem of her Kimono's sleeve "You're a little far away from home aren't you?" he said mischievously, his hand slowly crept towards her chest but was averted by a sudden slap across his face.

"Sa bi! biao zi!" he cursed angrily and rubbed his cheek that stung from the sharp blow, he raised his knuckles and was about to hit Hinata when a loud voice interrupted him.

"Leave her alone!" heads turned to see a girl in a red _tang suit_ flanked by two men. The burly man narrowed his eyes as he moved away from Hinata while his companions assembled behind him with spiteful looks.

A baleful smirk pursed his lips while Hinata ran towards her rescuers, he spat on the ground angrily as his prey and her rescuers darted out of sight

"I'll see you again mei nv"

* * *

'Are you all right?" inquired a gentle voice when they reached the main street. Hinata looked up to see a girl with dark brown hair set in twin buns, her thoughtful hazel eyes stared at her with concern.

"Thank you for helping me" replied Hinata timidly

The girl studied her briefly before breaking into a warm grin "You must have just arrived from our country didn't you?"

"How did you know?" asked Hinata, perplexed at the easy reckoning of the girl

"Most people would know better than to wander alone in the backstreets here" the girl smiled at her again and introduced herself

"'I'm Tenten and this Matsu and Nishi" she pointed to the two men who sheepishly hovered from behind

"I'm Hinata"

"Where are you headed? Maybe we can accompany you on our way back to the _kissaten_" offered Tenten

"I… I really don't know where I should go" admitted Hinata as she lowered her gaze. Tenten turned anxiously to her companions who merely nodded back.

"Come with us then, you can stay with me tonight"

* * *

**_Hongkou District, Shanghai, Feb 1923_**

The district remained vibrant late into the night and Hinata marvelled how full it was of her countrymen that it almost seemed she never left home. She felt calmed as they walked along the street strewn with red paper lanterns and other familiar signs from her homeland. They arrived shortly at a two-story building shared between a teahouse and a ramen shop. Steady streams of patrons were arriving as Tenten and her companions hurriedly entered through the side entrance that leads directly to the kitchen area.

"Good you're here," said an old man who was busily preparing tea "Ayame won't be around tonight so I need more help" he continued as he set the porcelain tea cups.

Matsu and Nishi immediately went to do their tasks while Tenten cleared her throat and caught the old man's attention, his eyes shifted with mild surprise from Tenten to Hinata who stood close by.

"Teuchi –san this is Hinata, she arrived tonight from Osaka and she has no place to stay" Teuchi looked at the two girls with their worried expressions and smiled

"She's welcome to stay with us" replied Teuchi before turning his back. Hinata went beside Tenten to face the shop owner and formally bowed before him.

"I'm very grateful for your kindness, thank you so much"

Teuchi chuckled amiably "You're welcome but we have customers waiting, we'll see each other later." he excused himself and took with him a tray laid with the tea he had prepared.

Hinata turned to Tenten and bowed to her as well. "I'm grateful for all your help Tenten-san"

"Don't worry about it, but I need to change and help Teuchi-san"

"I'll help too" offered Hinata while Tenten went to peek from the door to see more customers and recognized the group of patrons coming in. She turned to Hinata who was watching her eagerly.

"I appreciate the help but you need to change your clothes, if you don't mind I'll lend you Ayame-chan's spare one"

Tenten took her to the second floor which was the living quarters and gave Hinata a plain lilac-colored Kimono. She slid open the shouji door for one of the rooms and motioned her to come inside.

"We should move quickly, our guests from the _Ryōjikan_ are here" Tenten casually peeled off her garments and had put on a yellow Kimono, while Hinata shyly turned around and changed.

Tenten helped Hinata with the obi and took a last glance at her "It fits you well" she complimented

The two rushed downstairs after dressing and found Teuchi preparing more tea which Tenten hastily placed on wooden trays

"These are for the guests from the _Ryōjika_n" informed Teuchi as he handed them plates of _dangos_.

Tenten passed Hinata one of the trays and took one herself. "Just follow me and you'll be fine" She darted towards the door efficiently while Hinata followed from behind.

"Oh and I almost forgot, don't offer the dangos to Uchiha-sama, he dislikes sweets" murmured Tenten at the corner of her lips as they entered the narrow corridor of the teahouse.

* * *

"We need more security and I heard they're sending a regiment by next month" a balding man wearing a monocle was talking in low whispers while Sasuke tried to look attentive though his mind wandered elsewhere.

"The military presence in _Manshū_ will be doubled, I was assured by the Minister himself" chimed another man holding a long ebony cigarette holder, lazily puffing smoke in the air

_"Manshū" _repeated Sasuke inaudibly

"Sasuke-san here was previously assigned in M_anshū_ and he knows the situation quite well especially after…"their discussion was interrupted by the sound of the sliding door which opened to reveal two women bowing gracefully.

All eyes turned towards the unfamiliar lovely lady, but it was Sasuke who lighted up as he unexpectedly came face to face with the woman that filled his thoughts.

_春ダ__}[詞紅繍こ__}ま退丶似__E〝__)垢__E_

_下__'管賛 る道麦ニで立つ藻貝子_

_A Springtime garden_

_Glows scarlet_

_With peach blossom_

_And on the path, lit with colour_

_Appears a maiden_

* * *

_Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country._

**_-Anais Nin-_**

* * *

**_Footnotes:_**

**_(For more visuals/videos of the actual places, character development and other inspiration of this fiction, please visit my profile for the face book link)_**

**_Queue braids _**– The queue was a specific male hairstyle worn by the Manchu people from central Manchuria and later imposed on the Han Chinese during the Qing Dynasty. The hairstyle consisted of the hair on the front of the head being shaved off above the temples every ten days and the rest of the hair braided into a long ponytail. The hairstyle was compulsory on all males and the penalty for not having it was execution as it was considered treason. In the early 1910s, after the fall of the Qing dynasty, the Chinese no longer had to wear it. Some, such as Zhang Xun, still did as a tradition, but most of them abandoned it after the last Emperor of China, Puyi, cut his queue in 1922.

**_Lotus Feet_** – also known as foot binding. It is the custom of applying painfully tight binding to the feet of young girls to prevent further growth. Foot binding became popular as a means of displaying status (women from wealthy families who did not need them to work and could afford to have their feet bound) and was correspondingly adopted as a symbol of beauty in Chinese culture. It was outlawed by the Qing dynasty since 1902 and the subsequent government in 1912 though like its predecessors were not always successful.

**_Cheongsam_** – a body fitting one-piece dress for Chinese women. The modern version, which is now recognized popularly in China as the "standard" qipao, was first developed in Shanghai in the 1920s, partly under the influence of Beijing styles. In Shanghai it was first known as zansae or "long dress" (長衫—Mandarin Chinese: chángshān; Shanghainese: zansae; Cantonese: chèuhngsāam), and it is this name that survives in English as the "cheongsam".

**_Changshan_** – the male clothing equivalent to the cheongsam, Changshan was formal dress for Chinese men before Western-style suits became common in China.

**_Public Garden_** – presently known as "Huangpu Park" , it was established in 1886 with the simple name "Public Garden", and was the first park in China open to the public. Designed by a Scottish gardener in European style, it included a resting pavilion and a tennis court, to accommodate the increasing number of foreigners living in Shanghai since the city had become an international trade port in the 1840s.

**_Jiangnan sizhu_**_ – _is a style of traditional Chinese instrumental music from the Jiangnan region of China.

**_Pipa_**_ – _a four stringed Chinese musical instrument which is played for almost two thousand years in China

**_Xiao_**_ – _an ancient Chinese musical instrument , it is a vertical end-blown flute generally made of dark brown bamboo.

"**_Spring Blossoms on a Moonlit River - _****_春江花月夜_**" _– PLEASE SEE AUTHOR'S PROFILE FOR THE LINK TO VIDEO OF THIS MUSICAL PIECE_

**_Izumi Shikibu_**_ – _mid Heian period poet who wrote the first poem in this chapter. She is one of the Thirty-six Medieval Poetry immortals, GSIS XIV: 817

**_"hai mei nv"_**_ – translates to "Hi Pretty lady" _in Mandarin Chinese

**"Sa bi! biao zi"** – "Sa bi" (Stupid Cunt) "biao zi" (Whore/Bitch) in Mandarin Chinese

**_Tang Suit_**_ – _or tangzhuang (Chinese: 唐装; pinyin: _tángzhuāng_; literally "Chinese suit") is a Chinese jacket that originated at the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). The Tangzhuang evolved from the Magua (马褂), a Manchurian piece of clothing, which the Han Chinese were forced to wear it during the Qing Dynasty. In modern times it has been adopted by common people and often worn by men, although women wear them as well.

**_Matsu and Nishi_** – Naruto characters by Masashi Kishimoto, (Manga only appearance) were hired by Teuchi during the absence of Ayame in the ramen shop.

**_Hongkou District_** – also known as Japan town/Little Toyko , located beside the north bank of Suzhou River, northern area of downtown Shanghai. It was an important and famed region of politics, economic and culture in old Shanghai. A large number of Japanese once lived here and to a great extent, the Japanese were a self-sufficienct group that nearly isolated themselves from Chinese. (Source: Shanghai guide )

**_Kissaten_** – Japanese tea house

**_Teuchi _**– Naruto character by Masashi Kishimoto, owner of Ramen Ichiraku in the Naruto world.

**_Ayame _**– Naruto character by Masashi Kishimoto, daughter of Teuchi

**_Ryōjikan_**_ – _Japanese for Consulate office

**_Dango _**_– _a Japanese dumpling and sweet made out of rice flour often served with green tea.

**_Ôtomo no Yakamochi_** – a Japanese statesman and waka poet during the Nara period who wrote the 2nd poem in this chapter which is known to be one of his best descriptive poems.


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